# Arbanats > commune in Gironde, France **Wikidata**: [Q199449](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q199449) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbanats) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arbanats ## Summary Arbanats is a commune in the Gironde department of southwestern France, located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It sits at coordinates 44.675277777778°N, -0.39555555555556°W and is part of the canton of Podensac, the arrondissement of Langon, and the broader arrondissement of Bordeaux. The commune is served by the Gare d'Arbanats railway station and has a website at http://arbanats.fr. ## Key Facts - **Location**: Arbanats is situated in Gironde, a French department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. - **Administrative Divisions**: Part of the canton of Podensac, the arrondissement of Langon (established September 10, 1926), and the arrondissement of Bordeaux. - **Country**: France, a unitary semi-presidential republic and founding member of the European Union. - **Department Inception**: Gironde department was established on March 4, 1790. - **Commune Status**: Recognized as a commune of France since 1789. - **Coordinates**: Latitude 44.675277777778, Longitude -0.39555555555556. - **Transportation**: Contains Gare d'Arbanats, a railway station serving the commune. - **Website**: http://arbanats.fr - **Population**: Historical census data shows figures including 541, 556, 652, 757, 821, 960, 1107, 1140, 1186, 1235, 1272, 1311, 1335, 1353, 1355, 1357, and 1359 residents across various recorded years. - **Wikipedia Title**: Arbanats - **Wikidata Description**: commune in Gironde, France - **Sitelink Count**: 42 ## FAQs **What region and department is Arbanats located in?** Arbanats is located in the Gironde department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. It falls within the canton of Podensac for administrative purposes. **What administrative subdivisions does Arbanats belong to?** Arbanats is part of three administrative levels: the canton of Podensac, the arrondissement of Langon (created in 1926), and the arrondissement of Bordeaux. It is also a commune of France, a territorial subdivision established in 1789. **What transportation infrastructure serves Arbanats?** Arbanats is served by the Gare d'Arbanats, a railway station located within the commune itself. This station connects the locality to the broader French rail network. **What are the geographical coordinates of Arbanats?** Arbanats is positioned at latitude 44.675277777778 north and longitude -0.39555555555556 west, placing it in southwestern France near the city of Bordeaux. **What is the historical population of Arbanats?** Population records for Arbanats show significant variation over time, with figures ranging from as low as 541 residents to as high as 1,359 residents across different census periods, indicating demographic fluctuations throughout its history. **What is the website for Arbanats?** The official website of Arbanats commune is http://arbanats.fr, providing information about local governance and community services. ## Why It Matters Arbanats represents a small but integral part of the French communal system, which forms the foundational tier of local government in France. As one of the over 34,000 communes in France, Arbanats embodies the decentralized administrative structure that characterizes French governance. The commune system, dating back to 1789, provides citizens with direct local representation and services tailored to small community needs. The presence of the Gare d'Arbanats railway station highlights the commune's connectivity within the broader regional transportation network, facilitatingCommuter flows and economic integration with larger urban centers like Bordeaux. This railway connection exemplifies how even small communes maintain vital infrastructure links that support both daily commuters and regional economic activity. Arbanats' location within Gironde—a department known for its wine production, particularly the Bordeaux wine region—places it in one of France's most economically and culturally significant agricultural zones. The department's establishment in 1790 during the French Revolution marks Arbanats' integration into the modern administrative framework of France, and its continued existence as a commune demonstrates the stability and longevity of France's local government structures. ## Notable For - **Railway Connectivity**: Home to Gare d'Arbanats, providing direct rail services to the region. - **Administrative Heritage**: Part of the French communal system established in 1789, one of the oldest local government systems in the world. - **Departmental History**: Located in Gironde, a department created during the French Revolution in 1790. - **Regional Location**: Situated in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France's largest region by area, known for wine production, coastline, and cultural heritage. - **Multiple Administrative Layers**: Belongs to both the arrondissement of Langon (established 1926) and the arrondissement of Bordeaux, demonstrating France's layered administrative organization. ## Body ### Geography and Location Arbanats is a commune situated in the southwestern part of France, specifically in the Gironde department, which is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The commune's precise location is defined by coordinates 44.675277777778°N latitude and -0.39555555555556°W longitude. This positioning places Arbanats in the interior of the Bordeaux metropolitan area, within reasonable distance of the city of Bordeaux and its surrounding wine-producing territories. The commune occupies territory within the larger geographical context of Gironde, a department renowned internationally for its wine production, particularly the Bordeaux wine region. The landscape of the area typically features the rolling hills and vineyards characteristic of southwestern France, though specific topographical details would require additional source material for comprehensive description. ### Administrative Structure Arbanats operates as a commune, which represents the lowest level of administrative territorial division in France. The French commune system traces its origins to 1789, during the French Revolution, when the country was reorganized into municipalities (communes). This system has remained largely stable, with Arbanats maintaining its status as a commune since that foundational period. The commune is part of the canton of Podensac, which serves as a constituency for the election of representatives to the General Council of Gironde. Cantons in France serve as electoral districts for various local elections and also determine some aspects of judicial and administrative organization. At a higher administrative level, Arbanats belongs to the arrondissement of Langon. The arrondissement of Langon was established on September 10, 1926, as part of a reorganization of French administrative divisions. This places Arbanats within a sub-departmental administrative structure that coordinates various state services and represents an intermediate level between the commune and the department. Additionally, Arbanats falls within the jurisdiction of the arrondissement of Bordeaux, indicating a multi-layered administrative relationship where the commune is connected to both arrondissements for different administrative purposes. Bordeaux, as the prefecture of Gironde, serves as the departmental capital and major urban center for the region. ### Transportation and Infrastructure The Gare d'Arbanats serves as the primary transportation infrastructure within the commune. This railway station provides essential connectivity for residents, linking Arbanats to the broader French national railway network. Railway stations in French communes of this size typically serve regional commuter routes, connecting smaller towns to larger urban centers and facilitating dailyCommuter traffic. The presence of a railway station indicates that Arbanats has historically maintained important connections to Bordeaux and surrounding areas, supporting both economic activity and daily mobility for residents. French regional rail networks are well-developed, and even smaller communes often benefit from connections to regional transport hubs. ### Demographic Overview Historical population data for Arbanats reveals significant variation across recorded years. The documented population figures include 541, 556, 652, 757, 821, 960, 1107, 1140, 1186, 1235, 1272, 1311, 1335, 1353, 1355, 1357, and 1359 residents. This range suggests that the commune has experienced periods of population growth and decline throughout its history, likely reflecting broader economic, agricultural, and industrial trends affecting rural and semi-rural areas in southwestern France. The population figures, while modest, are consistent with the scale of a small French commune. Many French communes outside major urban areas maintain populations in this range, where local services and community life are tailored to smaller populations while maintaining connections to larger urban centers for employment, education, and services. ### Institutional and Digital Presence Arbanats maintains an official web presence through http://arbanats.fr, which serves as the commune's official website. This digital presence provides residents and visitors with information about local government services, community events, administrative procedures, and other municipal matters. French communes of virtually all sizes maintain official websites as part of modernizing local government and improving citizen services. The commune's information is catalogued in various knowledge bases, with a sitelink count of 42 indicating its presence across multiple Wikimedia projects and related databases. The Wikipedia title "Arbanats" and Wikidata description "commune in Gironde, France" provide standardized references for the commune in global knowledge repositories. ### Historical Context The establishment of Gironde as a department on March 4, 1790, during the early years of the French Revolution, marked the beginning of Arbanats' integration into the modern administrative structure of France. The French Revolution fundamentally reorganized France's territorial divisions, replacing the previous feudal and provincial systems with departments, arrondissements, and communes. The arrondissement of Langon's creation in 1926 reflects subsequent administrative reorganizations, particularly during the interwar period when France adjusted its administrative structures following World War I. This relatively recent establishment compared to the department and commune levels indicates that Arbanats' administrative relationships have evolved over time. ### Relationship to Larger Entities Arbanats exists within a hierarchical structure of French territorial organization. At the national level, France is a unitary semi-presidential republic and founding member of the European Union, with Paris as its capital. France operates under the constitution of the Fifth Republic, established in 1958, and maintains membership in numerous international organizations including the United Nations Security Council (as a permanent member), NATO, and the Schengen Area. At the regional level, Arbanats is part of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France's largest region by area, which encompasses significant portions of southwestern France. The region is known for its diverse geography, from the Atlantic coastline to the Pyrenees mountains, and its economic activities including wine production, agriculture, tourism, and industry. At the departmental level, Gironde is one of France's most prominent departments, home to Bordeaux (the prefecture), internationally famous wine regions, and a diverse economy. The department's creation in 1790 placed Arbanats within a territorial framework that has remained largely stable for over two centuries. The commune system in France represents a unique approach to local governance, where even the smallest settlements maintain formal municipal status with elected officials, administrative functions, and local budgets. This system ensures that every French citizen is theoretically connected to both their commune and larger administrative structures, providing a comprehensive framework for local democracy and governance. ## References 1. [base des EPCI à fiscalité propre au 1er janvier 2013. Code officiel géographique. 2013](http://www.insee.fr/fr/methodes/zonages/epci-au-01-01-2013.zip) 2. [Sandre](https://www.sandre.eaufrance.fr/geo/CoursEau/O---0000) 3. BnF authorities 4. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018 5. INSEE code 6. répertoire géographique des communes 7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 8. Annuaire de service-public.fr 9. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017 10. Populations légales 2016 11. Populations légales 2017 12. Populations légales 2018 13. [Populations légales communales depuis 1968. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2522602) 14. Populations légales 2019 15. Populations légales 2020 16. Populations légales 2021 17. Populations de référence 2022 18. Populations de référence 2023 19. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419) 20. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies 21. GeoNames 22. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z) 23. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z) 24. [Code officiel géographique. 2020](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/8442dfae-a878-49c6-be4c-20689b1c337c) 25. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)